Why Are So Many Doctors Still Ignoring This Lifesaving Nutrient?

At the top of my list of the safest, most effective and universally therapeutic dietary supplements is CoEnzymeQ10, or CoQ10. I’ve spent a lot of time researching CoQ10, and in another article, I discussed how problematic having low levels of CoQ10 can be for your health.

I’m not alone in advocating CoQ10. Many of the world’s leading natural health experts consider CoQ10 to be a “must take” supplement, and over the last decade CoQ10 has risen from obscurity to one of the most popular dietary supplements in the U.S — despite the fact that American doctors generally offer little support when it comes to CoQ10.

Is the U.S. the Last to Embrace CoQ10?

In Europe and Japan, CoQ10 is much more mainstream than it is here in the U.S., and there is little question as to its effectiveness. In Japan, which has the most highly regarded health care system in the world, CoQ10 is widely accepted by doctors and prescribed frequently to patients. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Japanese rank year after year as #1 on the list of nations with the highest life expectancy. That’s right – the Japanese live longer than anyone else in the world. I’m not saying this is directly related to their CoQ10 use, but I have a feeling that it may play a role.

CoQ10 Is One of the Most Researched Nutrients in the World

Skeptics are quick to point out that additional research on CoQ10 will be required before we are able to determine its true effectiveness. They may cite a handful of small studies that have shown CoQ10 to have no significant health benefits. But the fact is, CoQ10 is one of the most extensively researched nutrients in the world. Many clinical studies conducted in the U.S., Japan, Germany, Italy and Sweden have concluded that CoQ10 appears to be very safe and effective. In addition, virtually no side effects have been found and no serious drug interactions have been reported.

The Role of Big Pharma

So what’s the difference between the U.S. and Europe and Japan in terms of the acceptance of CoQ10 as a reliable, safe and effective dietary supplement? I would argue that the U.S. is unique in that Big Pharma plays a major role (both overtly and discretely) in dictating the treatment strategies of the country’s health care system, whereas in Europe and Japan, this is much less so the case. Some say that Big Pharma has strategically intertwined itself in everything from government policy to medical school curriculum, and even the day-to-day operations of doctors’ offices. And if you think about it, it’s easy to believe, at least in part, that this is true.

We Are Becoming a Pharmaceutical Nation

Over the past few decades, this county has seen a dramatic increase in legal prescription drug use. In fact, while major media outlets like to talk about the war against illegal drugs, it’s legal pharmaceutical drugs that pose a much more serious health threat to our society. In fact, according to the CDC, nearly 75% of all doctor and hospital visits end with some kind of drug therapy. Not surprisingly, according to the CDC, 1 out of every 5 children and 9 out of 10 older Americans report using at least one prescription drug! I should note that this data was for 2007-2008, and since that time prescription drug use has only increased. The bottom line is that virtually every component of this nation’s health care system is geared towards getting people on pharmaceutical drugs. And because of this, there’s a lot of money on the line.

Is Greed Trumping Common Sense?

I do believe that the medical system’s current state of denial of CoQ10 is fueled in part by corporate greed and that powerful forces are working to promote pharmaceutical drug use while discouraging cheaper and safer alternative remedies. I recently saw a cardiologist who told me that CoQ10 was a waste of time and money, but didn’t hesitate to prescribe me a statin drug to reduce my slightly elevated cholesterol. Of course, I didn’t take him up on this offer. Instead I opted to support my cardiovascular health with some minor dietary changes, fish oil and CoQ10.

My brother recently had open heart surgery and his doctor made no mention of CoQ10 supplementation. I sent my brother copies of these clinical studies to share with his doctor, but much to my dismay, his doctor still refused to even discuss the matter. It’s frustrating because I know that if my brother had been a patient in Japan, he would have left that hospital with plenty of CoQ10 and would have had a speedier recovery.

CoQ10 and Statin Drugs

There’s one area where doctors’ refusal to acknowledge the benefits of CoQ10 is borderline criminal in my opinion – and that’s in association with statin drug use. It’s well documented that statin drugs like Lipitor and Crestor deplete the body’s stores of CoQ10. This is thought to be at least partly responsible for the side effects commonly associated with statin use, and may contribute to other side effects. Statin drugs are so popular now that it’s estimated that 1 in 3 U.S. adults take them, and prescriptions are being written at a rate of 20,000 per hour! However most doctors are mum about the benefits of taking supplemental CoQ10 with statin drugs. Considering how advanced our health care system is, why is the health of millions of Americans being compromised by such a careless omission?

Does Big Pharma Suppress CoQ10 Use?

The answer may lie in Big Pharma’s involvement in the U.S. health care system. The fact of the matter is CoQ10 is a natural substance. It can’t be patented – and thus cannot be made into a profit source for Big Pharma. In fact, in the 1990s, researchers at the pharmaceutical giant, Merck, discovered that by combining a statin drug with CoQ10, the drug’s numerous and often serious side effects could be minimized. They even patented the combo.

However for reasons unknown, and largely unexplained, Merck decided not to pursue selling a statin drug combined with CoQ10. I believe that this is because doing so would effectively reveal that statin drugs deplete CoQ10 and cause serious side effects, which was a risk they didn’t want to take, as it could erode sales. Sadly, in most cases, if Big Pharma doesn’t back it, the mainstream medical system doesn’t either. Proof in point, when I was doing some research for this article, I stumbled upon this article on the Mayo Clinic’s website. Not only do they take the ultra conservative stance of not recommending CoQ10 supplementation, the author of the article goes on to say such things as “it’s important to do everything possible to continue taking [statins]”. To me, this article sounds more like it was written by a Big Pharma sales rep than an objective physician. It’s perhaps no coincidence that the main advertisement on the webpage is for the statin drug, Livalo.

Do Yourself a Favor – Take CoQ10!

At Live in the Now, we’ve written many articles over the years about the benefits of CoQ10. I advise everyone to strongly consider taking a high quality CoQ10 supplement on a daily basis. It’s critical to your health that you maintain optimal levels of this vital nutrient – especially if you are over the age of 50. Some say that CoQ10 is as vital to human life as air and water. Perhaps that may be a bit extreme, but it’s not far from the truth.

Every cell in your entire body becomes distressed when levels of CoQ10 fall too low, especially those in your heart and brain. In short, without adequate CoQ10, your cells cannot make the energy needed to sustain life. If you are deficient in CoQ10, eventually your whole body will begin to suffer.

But I can tell you firsthand that once you start taking the right kind of CoQ10, you’ll know it without a shred of doubt.

You’ll experience a noticeable boost in your energy levels as you feed your mitochondria the fuel it craves. This increased energy production will, in turn, improve your heart health since an active, healthy heart has such high energy demands. And the benefits don’t stop there. CoQ10 may in fact support both optimal brain and skin health.

The CoQ10 supplement that I recommend and personally take is Stop Aging Now MAX-Q10™. Of course, I must disclose that I developed Max-Q10 after doing extensive research on CoQ10, so naturally, I believe it’s truly the best product available. It‘s made with KanekaQ10™, which I believe is the purest, most effective and absolute best CoQ10 ingredient available. KanekaQ10™ is made with a unique yeast-fermentation process that yields natural trans form CoQ10 that is bio-identical to the CoQ10 found in the body.

There’s a special promotion going on now and you can get Max-Q10 for as low as $14.94 per bottle with free shipping, which is a great deal, and makes this superior CoQ10 more affordable than many discount brands.

Joshua Corn -Editor-in-Chief Josh is a health freedom advocate and veteran of the natural health industry. He has been actively involved in the natural health movement for over 15 years, and has been dedicated to the promotion of health, vitality, longevity and natural living throughout his career. Josh has successfully overcome several personal health challenges through natural means, and believes that sharing information can empower people to take control of their health so they can solve their own problems and live life to its fullest potential. Josh is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now. Additionally he serves as CEO of Stop Aging Now, a company that has been formulating premium dietary supplements since 1995. Josh is currently working on his first book about natural health, and is gearing up to launch the Live in the Now radio show. In addition to his work in the natural health field, Josh is an avid outdoorsman, animal lover and enjoys “living in the now” with his wife and two sons.

For the past few years I have been expressing my opinions about the “government takeover of my doctor’s autonomy” via the FDA, and the almost fascistic manner in which the pharmaceutical – insurance – medical cartel is doling out misinformation (as you have alluded to in this article) and very carefully strengthened its position in that it has now become the intermediary in my doctors prescribing of drugs considered “bad” or controversial by the FDA. This cartel I have posited is harming the lives of innumerable patients who are suffering from disabling and horrific pain (as I am) by allowing the use of the FDA to inhibit my doctor’s choice of prescriptions, which has a direct negative impact on my quality of life and freedom of movement and carrying on a near normal life with the use of the various prescriptions which, in one case the intervention of the FDA has forced me to have to pay over $300.00 dollars for 30 pain reducing lidocaine patches where just a few years ago the insurance paid for this prescription. Upon intervention of the FDA these patches were no longer paid for by insurance because the stated use of these patches were for Shingles. They had been commonly prescribed for other severe pain conditions, as many drugs have secondary usefulness and are prescribed for conditions outside of their stated use.

The Inquisitional attitude of the FDA and the above stated cartel have caused severe stress, loss of insurance coverage, degredation of quality of life, and tolerance of ludicrous decisions by the FDA in the medical community because the FDA can summarily take a doctor’s medical license away if he or she takes a stand in opposition to the outlandish threats by the FDA.

There is no place for any third party dictating what I am prescribed and how often I am instructed to take my prescribed drugs. I am of the opinion that using the FDA as their vehicle, this cartel has too often tried to insert their absolutely inappropriate and monopolistic denial of insurance payment of prescribed drugs if the doctors prescribed, for good reasons, drugs, their dosages, and the frequency of use of drugs the FDA has determined, without researched and documented proof, these drugs that the FDA has singled out as either dangerous or abused when their use immensely improved the quality of life of the recipients of these allegedly dangerous drugs.

I am ashamed to be a part of this country when it tolerates and promotes such a corrupt manner of control over my doctor’s decisions based on years of a good relationship with his patients. As a highly educated and clear thinking citizen of this country (USA) I feel that it is my obligation to speak out whenever an opportunity presents itself to me.

I have many other examples of the inhumane and both socially and medically inappropriate behavior of this dictatorial arm (the FDA) of the pharmaceutical – medical – insurance cartel and as the USA moves towards this fascistic control over my doctor’s appropriate decisions I fear the USA, via the legislative branch, is turning away from its democratic roots and ideals. The future of doctors autonomy is dying. Where are the advocates for return to the patient-doctor confidentiality and the refusal to participate in this dangerous path in which our healthcare systems are being compromised. Just look at how a small contingent of radical legislators can bring our government to a halt due to their racist refusal to accept a properly lawful healthcare reform package as voted into law by a majority of the Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court. Abolish the FDA and create a new humane and patient oriented beaurocracy.

It is unbelievable how people in this country don’t care about the corrupted government. Very simple example. How hard it is to understand that GMO and companies like Monsanto and many others are developing and used in seeds for mass consumption and make/ they don’t earn, they make poison and poison turn to money. They spend millions of $$$$$ to prevent labeling the food we eat! We eat not aliens! They are killing us and our Government is blind. The question is-why we have to pretend it is O.K. to eat GMO and pretending that is O.K. and there is no difference between Poison food and organic. This create opportunity for Organic producers to increase their prices and make it difficult for people to buy the good stuff. Consumers suppose to be protected? by whom? The conclusion-we the people are the victims as always!

I have been taking the “Max-Q10” 200mg just one soft gel once a day with a fish oil supplement and my breakfast. And it is very true for me that I have fantastic energy all day. It does seem to get rid of my former aches and pains. But the energy and mental clarity is very noticeable. I also take a good Turmeric formula. Anyhow, taking coq10 is something I will do, as long as I am able, for the rest of my life! It’s been a game-changer!!

Many people are so wrapped up in themselves and living that they are clueless to all of this. There should be something for the brain dead state of living most people fog their way through with. They do not have the sense to educate themselves about government, pesticide’s, medication’s, vitamins and ways to live that are much more meaningfull…like faith, which is the most important. Seems like we in America became the ‘stepford’ people and just ignore everything around us and all we are ‘programed’ to do! It all goes hand in hand being a healthy, faith based patriot of America who lives a whole life; for God, Country and mind!

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